Shire Hill Quarry, Glossop, Derbyshire

Archaeological Monitoring and Recording

NGR: SK 0540 9445 Planning Authority: Peak District National Park Authority Planning ref: HPK 1197168 PCAS site code: SHQM15 PCAS job no.: 1500

Prepared for Marchington Stone Ltd

by Phil Evans BA (Hons), MCIfA

February 2016 Contents

Non-technical Summary 1 1.0 Introduction 2 2.0 Site location and description 2 3.0 Geology and topography 3 4.0 Planning background 3 5.0 Archaeological and historical background 3 6.0 Archaeological requirement 5 7.0 Fieldwork Methodology 5 8.0 Methodology: post-fieldwork 7 9.0 Timetable and personnel 9 10.0 Health and Safety 9 11.0 Monitoring arrangements 9 12.0 Other factors 10 13.0 Contacts 10 14.0 Insurance 10 15.0 References 10

Figures

Fig. 1: Location of the development site at scale 1:25,000. (OS mapping © Crown copyright. All rights reserved. PCAS licence no. 100049278).

Fig. 2: Area of archaeological Monitoring and Recording. Non-Technical Summary

Pre-Construct Archaeological Services Ltd (PCAS) was requested by Marchington Stone Ltd to prepare a specification for archaeological monitoring and recording to be completed during soil stripping on two previously undisturbed areas at Shire Hill Quarry, Glossop, Derbyshire.

The Cultural Heritage Assessment, undertaken in 2011 in support of the planning application for wining, working and processing gritstone at Shire Hill Quarry, determined that there is the potential for archaeological remains to survive in two previously undisturbed areas at the quarry site.

The potential for Prehistoric activity is considered Moderate due to the discovery of a Bronze Age cremation c. 200m south of the quarry site. A Roman coin, at the same location, and the proximity of the Roman road suggests that there is a low to moderate potential for encountering Roman activity at the quarry site. The potential for encountering activity of Saxon or medieval date has been assessed as negligible and there is a high potential for encountering activity dating to the Post-medieval and modern periods; especially those relating to early quarrying in the late 19th century.

Following submission of the planning application permission was granted subject to a number of conditions, one of which was for archaeological monitoring and recording to be undertaken in the undisturbed areas prior to quarrying activity.

This document sets out the methodology to be employed in undertaking the archaeological monitoring and recording works. 1.0 Introduction

Pre-Construct Archaeological Services Ltd (PCAS) was requested by Marchington Stone Ltd to prepare a specification for archaeological monitoring and recording to be completed during soil stripping on two previously undisturbed areas at Shire Hill Quarry, Glossop, Derbyshire (SK05409445, Fig. 1).

The archaeological potential of the site has previously been investigated via a desk-based cultural heritage assessment (Francis 2011), which was undertaken as part of the EIA process for inclusion in an environmental statement, to inform and accompany the ROMP application.

This document is the specification (written scheme of investigation - WSI) for the methodology to be adopted during archaeological monitoring and recording during soil stripping (topsoil & subsoil) within two undisturbed peripheral zones along the eastern and south-western edges of the site, as required by the planning decision notice (Planning Application Ref: HPK1197168, Condition xii). The archaeological works will be completed ahead of any quarrying activities in these areas to allow for any archaeological remains encountered to be excavated and recorded. It follows current best practice and appropriate national guidance including:

- NPPF, National Planning Policy Framework (2012) & National Planning Practice Guidance
- IFA Code of Conduct (1994 as revised);
- IFA Standards and Guidance for Archaeological Watching Briefs (2008);
- IFA Standard and Guidance for Archaeological Excavation (revised 2008);
- Management of Research Projects in the Historic Environment (MoRPHE)

This strategy is subject to the approval of the Senior Conservation Officer at the Peak District National Park Authority (PDNPA).

2.0 Site Location and Description (Figs. 1 & 2)

Shire Hill Quarry lies on the eastern side of Shire Hill, covers a total of 9.24 hectares, and is centred on NGR SK 0540 9445. The site, of irregular shape, is located to the northeast of the small town of Glossop, Derbyshire, c. 1.9km from the town’s centre (see Fig. 1). The site lies just inside the Peak District National Park: the western boundary of the park passes immediately west of the site, crossing the western slopes of Shire Hill to encircle the town of Glossop (http://www.visitpeakdistrict.com/).

All of the site’s boundaries are demarcated by post and wire fences, with the southern boundary aligned with the contours of the hill. The site is bordered to the north, south and west by dense, deciduous woodland of varying date. To the east of the site are Mossy Lea Farm and its reservoir; and the rolling hills and high peaks of the Peak District National Park, including by the environmentally-sensitive area (SSSI) of the Dark Peak.

The site’s 5.235 hectare extraction area, i.e. the ‘quarry’, incorporates two small peripheral zones: an eastern area, located in the northeastern corner of the main site; and a south-western, linear area, located along the southern limit of the site’s extraction area (Fig. 2). It is these two areas that will be subject to the archaeological monitoring and recording. 3.0 Geology and Soils

The underlying solid geology of the summit and higher slopes of Shire Hill, including the area of the site is Kinderscout Grit. This is described as ‘medium- to very coarse-grained sandstone with shale pellets, feldspathic, massive or cross-bedded and frequently pebbly sandstone, shales and sandy shales, siltstone and sandstone with shale. This is subdivided into the Lower and Upper Kinderscout Grits (BGS 1974; http://www.bgs.ac.uk/). The underlying solid geology of the lower slopes of Shire Hill, including the area between the site boundary and Woodcock Road is the Namurian Age Millstone Grit Group comprising Mudstone, Siltstone and Sandstone. This group is described as ‘fine- to very coarse-grained feldspathic sandstones, interbedded with grey siltstones and mudstones, with subordinate marine shaly mudstone, claystone, coals and seatearths’ (BGS 1974; http://www.bgs.ac.uk/).

4.0 Planning Background

The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) came into force in March 2012. This places the responsibility for dealing with heritage assets affected by development proposals with the developer. Developers are required to ‘record and advance understanding of the significance of any heritage assets to be lost (wholly or in part) in a manner proportionate to their importance and the impact, and to make this evidence (and any archive generated) publicly accessible’ (NPPF, s141). Developers are obligated to produce a definitive method of archaeological mitigation to fulfil this requirement.

In 2011 an Archaeology and Cultural Heritage assessment was compiled to inform an Environment Act (1995) Review of Minerals Permissions (ROMP) application for the determination of conditions (Application Number: HPK1197168). The report was requested by the PDNPA’s Mineral Planning Authority as part of the EIA process for inclusion in an environmental statement, to inform and accompany the ROMP application.

The assessment focused on establishing the likely extents of all previous quarrying works on the site. Although the majority of the quarry has undergone previous extraction the proposed extraction area incorporates two peripheral zones potentially destined for future extraction that appear to have been subject to a lesser degree of previous disturbance. These zones, located along the south-western and eastern edges of the redline extraction area were surveyed in detail as part of this assessment.

Following submission of the planning application (HPK1197168) the scheme was granted permission subject to a number of conditions. One of these (Condition 49) states:

No development shall take place within the two undisturbed peripheral zones along the eastern and south-western edges of the site until a programme of archaeological work in accordance with a Written Scheme of Investigation for detailed monitoring of the soil stripping operation within these areas of the site, and the excavation and recording of any archaeological remains that are revealed, has been submitted to and approved by the Mineral Planning Authority in writing.

This document is the WSI proposing the methodology to be employed during the fieldwork and post-excavation reporting phases of the required archaeological programme. It is subject to the approval of the Senior Conservation Archaeologist for the Peak District National Park Authority. 5.0 Archaeological and historical background

A full account of the archaeological and historic background to the site is present in the Cultural Heritage Assessment undertaken in support of Planning Application HPK/1197/168. The assessment found a total of 13 Derbyshire Historic Environment Records listed within the 1km study radius of the proposed extraction works.

There is one Prehistoric record listed on the HER within the 1km study radius. This is a Late Bronze Age cremation contained within a cinerary urn (DHER 3617) found in 1958 at the south-western foot of Shire Hill during construction works for a bungalow at Hurst Croft (Jackson 1968). The urn was recorded at exactly SK 0494 9426, approximately 200m southwest of the site.

Although only one such burial has been recorded on the Shire Hill, its distinctive topography could have made it a focus for other Prehistoric burials and/or landscape features. On this basis, the potential for finding buried prehistoric remains on undisturbed parts of the site is deemed to be Moderate.

The closest Roman record to the site relates to the discovery of a 4th century coin of Emperor Constantine II (316 – 340), who ruled from 337 to 340 AD (DHER 6104). The coin was found in 1965 during construction of the bungalow where the Bronze Age urn was found (DHER 3617). The coin, found c. 200m to the southwest of Shire Hill was ultimately presented to Buxton Museum (Jackson 1968).

At its closest point, a possible Roman Road known as Doctor’s Gate (DHER 3636) passes c. 400m to the northeast of the site. The road, possibly a prehistoric track-way that was improved in Roman times and later as a packhorse trail, passes through Charlesworth parish, between Shelf and Coldharbour Moors (Cockerton 1933; Smithard 1911).

The potential for finding buried Roman remains on undisturbed parts of the site is deemed to be Low to Moderate.

There are no Saxon monuments recorded on the DHER within the 1km study radius. The only known evidence for early medieval occupation of the Glossop area is in the place-names, which have 7th century origins: all ten townships of Glossop have Anglo-Saxon names and all but one of these are listed in Domesday (Sharpe 2005, 110; Scott et al 1973; Tarbutt 1999; Morris 1977). The potential for buried Saxon remains on the site is therefore considered to be negligible.

There are no medieval records listed within the 1km study radius on the DHER. In the Domesday Survey of AD 1086, Glossop belonged to the crown, as part of Longendale, together with several other settlements. In total 12 manors are included in this entry, described as worth 40s before the conquest but as ‘waste’ with woodland only ‘suitable for hunting’ at the time of the survey (Page 1905, 333). This group of settlements, on the edge of the forest that filled the valley, later became the Manor of Glossop (Scott et. al. 1973, 41). Charlesworth also belonged to the Crown at the time of Domesday.

During the medieval period, the site probably formed part of the Royal Hunting Forest of the Peak and was protected by Forest Law. The potential for finding buried medieval remains within undisturbed parts of the site is therefore considered to be negligible.

There are ten DHER monument records of post-medieval date recorded within the 1km study radius. One of these relates to the post-medieval quarry on Shire Hill, which has been in operation on the current site, from at least 1811 until the present day, although successive quarrying appears to have removed all traces of earlier works and structures within the extraction area, with the possible exception of any surviving features in the south-western or eastern peripheries.

Eight of these record site-specific buildings and structures, the closest of which is a former toll house to the southeast of the site. None of these structures would be directly impacted by the extraction proposals. There are records of tenant farmers in Glossop enclosing their lands with dry-stone walls at the end of the 16th century, perhaps suggesting a post-medieval date for the boundary wall located on the eastern edge of the site during the walkover survey undertaken as part of the Cultural Heritage Assessment. There is also late 19th-century cartographic evidence for quarrying on the site, suggesting that any surviving post-medieval archaeology would almost certainly be associated with Shire Hill Quarry. The potential for post-medieval remains to exist within undisturbed parts of the site is therefore considered to be high.

There are no Modern HER records listed within the site or within the 1km study radius. However, the site walkover, undertaken as part of the Cultural Heritage Assessment, has revealed that there is a high potential for Modern remains associated with post-1900 quarrying within undisturbed parts of the site (Eastern and South-western Peripheral Zones).

6.0 Archaeological requirement (Fig. 2)

The fieldwork will be completed in accordance with the methodology detailed in Section 7 below and will be undertaken prior to any quarrying activities.

The potential for archaeological remains surviving within the Eastern and South-western Peripheral Zones has been determined by the previous phase of work (Cultural Heritage Assessment, Francis 2011) and is detailed in Section 5 above.

All soil stripping in both the Eastern Peripheral Zone and South-western Peripheral Zone will require archaeological monitoring.

The archaeological monitoring will ensure any and all encountered archaeological remains will be recorded and plotted, thus creating a record of those deposits disturbed or destroyed by the excavations.

An online record of the project data shall be initiated with the Archaeological Data Service (OASIS database) before fieldwork commences, and completed at the end of the project, including an uploaded digital copy of the report.

7.0 Fieldwork Methodology

Archaeological Monitoring and Recording

The scheme of archaeological works will be undertaken prior to the start of any quarrying activities within the defined areas of archaeological monitoring (Fig. 2).

All archaeological monitoring and recording will be undertaken by suitably qualified/experienced professional archaeologists/PCAS Project or Field Officers.

Unless ground conditions dictate otherwise, all machine excavation of soils will be undertaken using a mechanical excavator fitted with a flat toothless blade. Machine excavation will cease at the first archaeologically significant horizon or the surface of the natural geology, whichever is encountered first. The archaeologist monitoring the ground-works will cause the least possible disruption to the development programme, but at any time may request a pause in groundworks to assess any potential features or deposits; and to allow for the careful cleaning, excavation and recording of any features that have been identified. The archaeologist will keep the groundworkers informed of developments and progress.

If significant archaeological remains are identified, it may be necessary, in liaison with the Senior Conservation Officer, to formulate a strategy for the more complete establishment of the character, distribution, extent, condition, dating and further treatment of any such remains.

Excavated features will then recorded by measured plan and tied into the National Grid using GPS. Section drawings of the features will be drawn at appropriate scales (normally 1:10 or 1:20).

A written record of each significant stratigraphic horizon and archaeological feature will be made on standard PCAS context recording forms. These will be supplemented by a narrative account in the form of a site diary. The archaeologist will pay due attention to the landscape aspect of any exposed remains – both the cultural and the natural landscape – which may require a basic assessment to be made of neighbouring conditions (e.g. visible earthworks in adjacent areas, surface observation, standing buildings, vegetation cover etc).

A digital photographic record, supplemented with colour slide and monochrome photography as appropriate, will be maintained during the course of the archaeological intervention. The photographic record will include:

- specific stages of fieldwork;
- individual features and, where appropriate, their sections;
- groups of features, where relationships are important.

All artefacts will be treated in accordance with UKIC guidelines, First Aid for Finds (Watkinson & Neale 1998). All finds will be bagged and labelled according to the individual deposit from which they were recovered, ready for later cleaning, marking and analysis. A specialist assessment will be made of the artefacts recovered with a view to their potential for further study. Allowance will be made for preliminary conservation and stabilisation of all objects and an assessment of long-term conservation and storage needs.

All finds that qualify as ‘treasure’ under the 1996 Treasure Act (Treasure Act Code of Practice – 2002 revision) will be treated in accordance with the Act; HM Coroner will be informed and the finds will be safely stored. The Derbyshire Finds Liaison Officer may be contacted for advice in the first instance.

**Human Remains**

If human remains are encountered, they will be left in situ where possible, and only disturbed if their continued presence will severely hinder the development processes, or if there are sound academic/scientific justifications for removal. If appropriate, a Ministry of Justice Exhumation Licence will be requested and the local Environmental Health Officer advised.

All reasonable requests of interested parties concerning the methods of removal, re-interral or disposal of the remains and associated items will be complied with, and attempts will be made at all times not to cause offence to interested parties.

All work involving human remains will be carried out according to the standards and guidelines recommended by the British Association of Biological Anthropologists and Osteologists in conjunction with the CfA guidelines. Environmental Sampling

Particular attention will be paid at all times to the presence of lithics-bearing contexts and/or organic contexts, including those devoid of dateable finds, where the presence of burnt flint, charcoal and/or organic material suitable for dating by C14, thermoluminescence (TL), or other dating methods may be retrieved.

Any dated or undated archaeological deposits considered suitable for environmental analysis will be sampled in 40lt quantities where possible. Sampling techniques and methods will comply with those outlined in Environmental Archaeology: A Guide to the Theory and Practice of Methods, from Sampling and Recovery to Post-Excavation (Campbell et al, 2011, 2nd edition).

8.0 Methodology: Post-Fieldwork

Following completion of site works, all archaeological records, environmental samples and finds will be taken to the offices of PCAS prior to processing, dispatch and/or analysis.

Stable finds (e.g. pottery, bone) will be washed, marked and packaged at office of the archaeological contractor prior to dispatch. Unstable finds will be dispatched for remedial conservation as a prelude to assessment, and bulk samples will be dispatched for processing.

PCAS have used the services of a variety of specialists in the past and may use any/all of the following depending on suitability/availability etc:

Archaeological Contractors’:

- University of Leicester Archaeological Services (ULAS) staff – provides a comprehensive service in all areas of post excavation analysis
- Durham University Archaeological Services (DUAS) staff – provides environmental archaeology services.
- York Archaeological Trust (YAT) staff – identification and assessment of registered special finds; X-Ray analysis and Conservation Services.
- Archaeological Project Services (APS) staff – provides a comprehensive service in most areas of post excavation analysis.

Other Freelance Specialists:

- Dr A Irving – specialising in the identification / assessment of post Roman pottery, ceramic building materials & fired clay
- Dr Phil Mills & Dr J Evans – specialising in the identification / assessment of Roman pottery, and Roman & Medieval ceramic building materials
- I Rowlandson – specialising in the identification / assessment of Iron Age & Roman pottery.
- Sarah Percival – specialising in the identification of Pre-Historic pottery /ceramics
- J Young/J Gray – specialising in the identification / assessment of post Roman pottery, ceramic building materials & fired clay.
- M Taylor / M Bamford – specialising in the identification / assessment of waterlogged wood
- Dr D Underhill / J Rylatt– specialising in the identification / assessment of lithic materials and tools. Dr Rachel Tyson – specialising in the identification / assessment of glass.

Dr Rod Mackenzie – specialising in the identification / assessment of waste metal working residues.

Dr K Leahy – specialising in the identification / assessment of post Roman & early medieval artefacts inc. metal work.

J Wood – specialising in the identification / assessment of animal bone & human remains.

Q Mould – specialising in the identification / assessment of leather artefacts

Following receipt of specialist accounts/archive reports and within twelve months of the completion of the fieldwork phase, a fully illustrated and appended text detailing the results of the archaeological monitoring and recording works will be prepared in accordance with current guidelines and sent to the Planning Archaeologist for Derbyshire CC for approval. All electronic submissions will be in single .PDF format. The final report will include the following minimum information:

- A non-technical summary
- Museum accession number, site code and project number
- Planning reference number
- Grid reference, site location, topography and geology
- Archaeological and historical background
- A description and analysis of the fieldwork undertaken
- A geo-referenced location plan at a minimum scale of 1:10,000
- A scaled overall site plan showing the accurately surveyed location of the development site in relation to known and speculated archaeological features (if appropriate)
- Scaled section and plan drawings of archaeological features encountered within the excavated area.
- Discussion and conclusions, including the importance of the findings in local, regional and national basis and a critical review of the effectiveness of methodology
- Tables summarising features and artefacts with full descriptions and brief interpretation
- Specialist artefact and environmental reports, as necessary, with reference made to appropriate published type-series
- Colour photographs, including general views and appropriate detail
- Acknowledgements
- Bibliography of sources used
- Archive deposition location and agreed deposition date
- A summary of the report’s presence and location on the OASIS online database

The data from the project, along with a digital copy of the report, will be uploaded to the Archaeology Data Service OASIS (Online AccesS to the Index of archaeological investigationS) database for public consultation.

Deposition of the report with the HER, where it will be incorporated into their database for public consultation, and uploading the project data to OASIS will be considered as placing the results of the project in the public domain. However, wider publication of the results will be considered, although the content and place of publication will be dependent on what is found, and be subject to discussion with the archaeological advisor to the planning authority. For example, where a significant discovery is made, consideration will be given to the preparation of a short note for inclusion in a local journal.

Working under the terms of the Copyright, Design and Patents Act 1988, the archaeological contractor shall retain full copyright with regard to written, digital and graphic material. However, following project completion, both the commissioning body, Derbyshire HER and the Archaeology Data Service may, in the interest of informing and advancing the profession, make responsible use of the data, provided that any material copied or cited in reports is duly acknowledged and all copyright conditions observed.

Following acceptance of the report, a project archive will be prepared in accordance with the guidelines contained in *Guidelines for the Preparation of Excavation Archives for Long Term Storage* (UKIC 1990) and *Standards in the Museum Care of Archaeological Collections* (Museums and Galleries Commission 1992), and the Derbyshire *Procedures for the transfer of archaeological archives* (Museums in Derbyshire 2003). The receiving archive is Buxton Museum and Art Gallery. The archive has been informed of the intended works, and an accession number will be allocated once the site works are complete. This accession number will be used to deposit the entire archive in the event of a finds archive being generated in the course of the fieldwork; should the proposed works generate no finds, archiving procedure is as set out above: a single bound copy of the report plus a digital copy in pdf/a format will be deposited with the Derbyshire HER, and a copy of the report uploaded to the OASIS database.

9.0 Timetable and Personnel

The anticipated start date for the topsoil stripping is currently unknown, however the archaeological works will be completed ahead of any quarrying activities in the Eastern and South-western Peripheral Zones.

A full report on the results of the project will be submitted within 12 months of the completion of the groundworks.

The site team will include an experienced Project Officer as a minimum. Details of the site team and CVs will be provided if required.

10.0 Health and Safety

All work will be carried out in compliance with the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and its related regulations and codes of practice. Employees and sub-contractors of Pre-Construct Archaeological Services Ltd will perform their duties in accordance with company safety policy (revised 2011). Where PCAS employees are temporarily engaged at other workplaces, they are to respect relevant local regulations, both statutory and as imposed by other employers within the Health and Safety at Work Act (1974).

A site specific risk assessment will be prepared prior to any site works taking place.

11.0 Monitoring arrangements

Internal monitoring will be the responsibility of PCAS Director Will Munford. The Snr Conservation Archaeologist for PDNPA will be informed, with not less than fourteen days notice, of the start of the archaeological intervention. She will be kept informed of any unexpected discoveries and regularly updated on the project’s progress, and will be free to visit the site by prior arrangement with the site director.

All phases of fieldwork shall be carried out in accordance with the approved WSI, with any variations to the specification being agreed in writing with the Snr Conservation Archaeologist for PDNPA.

12.0 Other factors

Any potential financial outlay which may be activated over and above rudimentary costs (i.e. fieldwork, basic reporting and archive arrangements) will be been calculated as provisional sums/contingencies.

13.0 Contacts

Ken Smith, Cultural Heritage Manager 01629 816206 Will Munford, Director, PCAS 01522 703 800

14.0 Insurance

Pre-Construct Archaeological Services Ltd has the following insurance cover:

Employers’ Liability: £10,000,000 Public Liability: £5,000,000 Professional Indemnity: £1,000,000

15.0 References

Campbell et al., 2011, Environmental Archaeology: A Guide to the Theory and Practice of Methods, from Sampling and Recovery to Post-Excavation (2nd edition), English Heritage

Ordnance Survey, 2008, Chesterfield and Alfreton: Explorer 1:25 000 Series no. 269. Ordnance Survey, Southampton.

Francis, K. 2011. Archaeology and Cultural Heritage: Shire Hill Quarry, Glossop, Derbyshire. Report No. 808 Rev 2

Websites: http://archaeologydataservice.ac.uk/archiveDS/archiveDownload?t=arch-881-1/dissemination/pdf/EUS_Texts/Alfreton/Alfreton.pdf http://www.ambervalley.gov.uk/environment-and-planning/planning/community-planning/ancient-monuments.aspx http://domesdaymap.co.uk/ http://www.heritagegateway.org.uk/Gateway/ http://list.english-heritage.org.uk/mapsearch.aspx http://mapapps.bgs.ac.uk/geologyofbritain/home.html

Planning documents accessed online at: http://pam.peakdistrict.gov.uk/?r=HPK1197168&q=HPK1197168&s=4981602 Figures Figure 1. Site location. Site extraction boundary in red. Based on the 1:25,000 OS Explorer map, sheet Ol1. © Crown copyright. All rights reserved. PCAS licence No. 100049278.

Figure 2. Plan detailing the areas where archaeological monitoring and recording works are to be undertaken.